development and strategic planning. i attended most, not all, of the veterans affairs commission meeting this year. i videotaped several for historical reasons. one of the things that i see the commission can really use is an element of team strategic planning. the veterans community itself is very fragmented. i am a member of the american legion, veterans for peace, and amvet, and none of them work together. many times and have an internecine community where the veterans work against the best interest of the group rather than towards it. i kind of already and doing the job. i attend the meetings. i will continue to attend the meetings in support of the veterans affair commission in any way possible. to the biggest problems plaguing both the san francisco community and the veterans community is homelessness and suicide prevention problems. yesterday at approximately 2

p.m., at veteran walking to the veterans building, very distraught. his face in the present in the veterans building on a number of different occasions. yesterday he opened up his wrist, and bled out all over the hallway in the veterans building. to me this is a travesty. the believe in the community where this happens. the veterans building has over 30,000 square feet of space allocated towards veterans uses, for the most part it is empty. there is a milestone in front of us, the building will be closing down four two year seismic renovation; during that time the american legion we relegate the temporary headquarters. with the building opens up we are still faced with a similar problem.

i will make it a priority of mine to help establish suicide and homelessness prevention programs that dovetail with the va efforts. right now the city is overtaxed. i read somewhere that 25 million dollars are spent on veteran alcohol issues. i dedicated nearly my full-time. i sacrifice my own direction as an entrepreneur, our livelihood and hopefully help revitalize his community or be part of the solution and i will continue to do that. i know there are a lot of great candidates.

is not this appointship, maybe next time we'll see me again. >> supervisor kim: thank you. i see no questions from colleagues. thank you. i did let our applicants know that did not speak last week, i welcome them to not attend again given they already spoke, but if you are here and want to speak to the new committee members i invite you to do so. emily burnett. david adams. mary -- john gallagher. michael -- we did have two individuals that would through their applications.

i'm sorry one applicant. creighton reed already let us know that he could not make it. he was also not here at the last meeting. you have two minutes. >> good afternoon supervisors. i'm wallace levin. i am a longtime member of the veterans affairs commission. i feel it would be in the best interest of the city and county of san francisco and the veterans affairs commission if for the first time in the almost 30 year history of the commission that an attorney veteran, veteran staff member of the county veterans service office, and a city college student veteran be appointed

to the commission. michael -- is a veteran and still reserves in the navy reserve as a jag officer. john gallagher was a marine. and a san francisco county veterans service office. leo burnett was in the navy an is an officer in the city college. 1500 are now attending classes at the city college. he would bring a direct contact with these veterans. all three are young and would bring much-needed knowledge, experience and expertise to the veterans affairs commission. with the addition of these outstanding candidates, the veterans affairs commission will be much more able to move forward our mandate to act in

the best interest of veterans. thank you. >> supervisor kim: thank you very much. >> good afternoon committee members. i am steven - secretary of veterans affairs commission, here to speak essentially to underline the same three recommendations made by commissioner levin a moment ago. these three candidates if you mentioned bring unique capabilities and qualifications to the veterans affairs commission. as an attorney, michael mafey [sounds like] has worked with the incarcerated veterans a lot in san mateo jail and so on. one of the initiatives that we have taken in the past year, i continue to press for, is the

establishment of the veterans court in the city of seven cisco such as they have in san diego and other places. their very successful. michael is a tremendous resource to help make this a reality. he will be very helpful on the commission. john gallagher, he has contact with hundreds and hundreds of veterans and the city who seek services through the va and the state of california, and brings a unique perspective. and his young gentleman, lee burnett is a great resource because of his connections with the universities and so on. there is another seat that will be opening up; i'm sure the committee is aware of it, it is not open now. because of his resignation. some of the other qualified candidates will have opportunity in the future. >> supervisor kim: thank you

for being here again. >> my name is dottie -- i am in the seven cisco affairs commission, also work in the oakland center. i have nothing else to say because they took out all of the words from my mouth. michael -- and lee burnett, would be perfect additions to the commission. >> supervisor kim: thank you commissioner. >> thank you. my name is john -- and member of the veterans affairs commission. i was appointed in january, 2007, by the board of supervisors and endeavor to honor that appointment and attended every single meeting of the veterans affairs commission. i appreciate - one of the reasons i wanted to come before you - was to thank you.

in the last two years we have seen more diverse education than ever before. no longer is a chair and white person. i look forward to the day when we have a president that is female, and that is coming. for the first time we have four women's veterans and we have the women's caucus and the commission. there are a number of issues that we have to address as veterans. i want to thank you first and foremost for the last two years of these appointments of new blood and i want to talk him half of michael mafey. i apologize for the casual attire, but i need to be a walking billboard of the sacrifices made by our veterans. michael mafey has seen 70+ veterans who are incarcerated and need help.

we need a veterans court. the other applicant like to speak on behalf of is lee barnett. i think these two would be great additions. it is also with a sad heart, because i have come to speak on behalf of other applicants, but i need to speak against an appointment, leo madrid. >> you can finish a sentence. >> -- riddled with deception, hidden agendas. he accuses one group of indirectly being responsible for hundreds of thousands of veteran suicides and attempts.

this gentleman is a loose cannon. >> supervisor kim: are there any other public comment on this item? seeing none public comment is closed. (gavel) i want to thank all of the commissions and the veterans affairs commission that came today. i do want to acknowledge that we do have four women on the veterans affairs commission. that's great. we lost one. with this new seed that is opening, i hope that we can recruit more women as well. commissioner guy? i like to see the balance come up again. my colleagues at the previous rules committee, i was impressed by lee barnett; i

appreciate your organizing work that he does as a student at city college; i know he will transfer to uc berkeley. he is engaged and active in organizing another young vets who are attending higher education; also impressed with michael mofey who works at the da office and has attended every single veterans affairs commission in the past i don't know how long. he has been an active member, and is a strong relationship with many of the commissioners here. i do want to see more diversity of course, not just women, young people, people of color. i know there are several other applicants. i do hear from the commissioners, about john gallagher. he has done his ba in social work, dissertation

on homeless among veterans. many are in the district i represent. is a tragedy that after you serve we often wind up with an and women who end up on our streets after the service. he can provide a valuable perspective as well. are there any other thoughts? >> i can move your recommendation to move forward. >> repeat those three names again. >> first is lee barnett, in the city colleges seven ; the second is john gallagher. seat 6 is not limited to the description as long as one member has a physical

disability related. michale mofey. >> and having to support this. >> emily burnett, michael mofey. (gavel) madam clerk can you call item number four. >> appointing one member to the market and -- advisory committee. >> supervisor kim: thank you. is nicholas wolf here? same format. talk briefly about your background as it relates to the market octavia. and your interest in serving and the areas that you might be interested in working on. >> certainly. thank you supervisors. i appreciate this opportunity

to come before you today for this appointment, the market octavia community advisory committee. and currently the manager of small business services at lgbt community services. a lot of my businesses community services where i am typically 9-to-5, if not longer. i do a background in urban studies. i am interested in land-use planning and transportation. field right now that the way san francisco's growing this is a really pivotal time for the city. i recognize the importance of his body, the community advisory committee. previous to my role at the lgbt center, i was the director of

vv boone, in the visitation valley. i work closely with the -- committee advisory committee, and gave me a good sense of the role and function of these by display and how important it is to get the right people involved to see what the community needs. zone two of the -- redevelopment area was the leland bayshore commercial corridor where i worked. i frequently was doing presentations to the cac [sounds like] and getting input from them on a lot of the commercial quarter revitalization activities and objectives. i have a real connection to their area in the lgbt center. i very much would like to see a lot of entrepreneurs, people i work with, local small

businesses, occupy a lot of the commercial space that i know will be created along market street coming up. i know small business development, and small business retention has been identified as a priority by the cac, and the upper market plan. i have worked closely with-- the cbd, the castro cbd, and i know that we can make this happen. i look forward to working towards is objectives. i am also, as an employee of the lgbt center, and a supporter of lgbt culture i want to ensure that disappointment with the in a position to be a champion of that culture. i know that is important to the fabric of that neighborhood, and that area. i want to work to support that. i know that it is more

important than ever coming up with the projected growth that is going to be taking place. i know the neighborhood there are issues, affordable housing is no doubt a major issue. i know that the cac along with myself i very much aware of the need to have a good mix of housing. and as well as pedestrian access and safety. every day i walk form -- avenue to octavia to go to the center, to go to work. when i get to work as it in an office that overlooks the market octavia intersection. i have a good sense of how nasty of an intersection that is an allowed the dangers that occur with the automobiles and cyclists and pedestrians converging. i am committed to not only improving the pedestrian experience but making it a

safer experience as well. this is an opportunity. i am looking forward to it. you have any questions? >> supervisor kim: i do have some questions. i'm happy to hear some of your thoughts around small businesses and of course pedestrian safety. all of those are an integral part of the plan. probably the intent to represent low-income communities. could you speak about some of those issues that you feel would come up in the market octavia plan, and would you like to work on, because i think that is an important aspect of the seat. >> absolutely. i'm not sure i mentioned this before. i do have a background in urban studies. previous to my role in the

center i was working in the visitation valley doing work with a small business is down there. a lot of those merchants live in the neighborhood. the issue becomes not only providing, working with low income individuals and merchants. people in the neighborhood being able to access the stores on the main street, the commercial corridors, community facilities, resources. a lot of that work with the populations continues today at the center. a lot of them really work to sort of defy the myth of gay affluence. >> supervisor kim: i want to be more specific. specifically low-income

communities where they are limited to owning a small business. what do you believe would represent the interests of low income individuals? one of those things that are important advocate, issues important to the committee? >> i know that a lot of the community impact fees assessed on the developers, there are limits and requirements for these developers with regards to affordable housing of these new developments. i would like to see those requirements exceeded if at all possible. with regard to a lot of the residents, and some of the rsos in existence on market street,

i will like to work to improve some of the infrastructure surrounding them. i know that there is an rso at 12th and market that i walk by everyday. >> supervisor kim: construction? >> yes. there are opportunities to improve the built environment that surrounds those sros. i think that in mix of housing and population, we want to improve the character and a lot of fabric. i want to work to bring in this population growth and advocate for individuals that have been

there for a while, that they will stay there. their lives will get better. they won't be pushed aside. they will be able to enjoy the improvements in that area. >> [indiscernible] >> i know currently there is the waldon house and the hay/ashbury clinic have merged. they have an office in mission street. there are a number of service providers on market street aside from the center, like lion martin health clinic and ucsf alliance. >> supervisor kim: i'm glad that you know the organizations but do you work with them? do you interface with people that are also low income? >> i do particularly with my work in the department at the center.

oftentimes i am not only working with people that start businesses but people come looking for services who may need some assistance in finding part-time employment. and maybe being able to utilize some of our financial services as well. >> supervisor kim: you interface with people who come in asking for services? >> yes. >> >> supervisor kim: great. that's my question. are there any other questions from colleagues? >> i would like to follow up on my question. do you identify yourself as low income? >> i do. i believe that meet the ami requirements. i am at 70% ami. i do. >> thank you. >> supervisor kim: thank you. at this time we will open up for public comment.

if you would like to speak on this item, yeah? please come up. two minutes. >> hi supervisors. thank you for your service. and the director of economic development of the lgbt center and nick is on my team. he did incredible work in visitation valley. he was able to engage the neighborhood businesses in a way and at levels not seen before. i also was impressed that he created an opportunity for lgbt networking. he's a strong ally of the community before he stepped into his role at the lgbt center. we serve low-income communities, and very low-income communities at the center and in terms of income

unfortunately most people working in nonprofits fall into the low-income bracket. we work with about 1000 people per year, 70-80% are low income. developing self-sufficiency. and starting micro-enterprises. part of nick's role is supporting folks in the process. we are able to support them in developing all of the opportunities for economic health. and with that i will conclude. i think you will find that he is a great service to this community. >> supervisor kim: is there any other public comment on this item? >> good afternoon board members. peter cohen. i have been on the market

octavia cac since its beginning. i can up for renewal last december. the board decided against that and they were looking for someone who came out of the low-income committee. that is important. i want to share with you a couple of perspectives on why i think that lens is important on the cac. we are in an area where there has been rapid gentrification particularly in the upper market portion of the plan area. it cannot be understated that there is a low income population that is really vulnerable the displacement. i think that fundamentally that has to be a focus for the cac and someone has to bring

that knowledge to the table, whether the person in the low income seat or not. over the last two years or so, in terms of the geography of cac members, they were very overbalanced towards the upper market. all of us a point is were from the castro area; we were not able to find from the district 6 or the -- area. about half of all the plan development commercial and residential is from octavia to the east. at some point that geography knowledge is going to be important to the cac, whether this seat or another seat. those are things that are important in the changeover of the set of cohort appointees

to the next. >> supervisor kim: is there any other comment? seeing none public comment is closed. >> i want to thank mr. wolf for his interest in the seat. i work closely with the market octavia cac. we have quite a bit going on in the plan area including in the upper market area in terms of development of the creation of affordable housing, retail, which would result in job opportunities plus safety improvements. the cac's role, for a long time because there was no development, it was theoretical. nothing was happening before the collapse of financial markets but things are happening now. it is incredibly exciting. we need people involved.